Chelsea's casualty list gets longer

Tuesday 13 March 2007 23:22 BST

Shevchenko: Limped out of training

Chelsea, already bemoaning their luck with injuries this season, have been hit by another double blow ahead of Wednesday night's match at Manchester City. Salomon Kalou, their substitute saviour in the FA Cup against Tottenham on Sunday, is certain to start after £30million striker Andriy Shevchenko limped out of training on Tuesday.

And Michael Essien is also almost certainly out of the game, adding to Jose Mourinho's injury nightmare. Essien damaged knee ligaments in the first half against Spurs and such was Mourinho's desperation to remain in the Cup that he sent the African out with a heavily strapped right leg to help recover a 3-1 deficit.

But the Ghana midfielder is now paying the price and is expected to miss the City game so that he can be fit to face Sheffield United on Saturday.

Chelsea, looking to haul back a third of leaders Manchester United's nine-point lead, were left stunned by Shevchenko's setback after a challenge with Geremi just five minutes from the end of the session appeared to leave him with a damaged ankle.

He had to be helped off by one of the club's medical staff. But the Ivory Coast's Kalou believes he can step in from the start of games and help Chelsea in their remarkable quest to complete a quadruple trophy haul.

And though the 21-year-old is keen to learn from the likes of Shevchenko and his countryman Didier Drogba, it is Arsenal's Thierry Henry who is his footballing hero and someone he yearns to emulate.

Kalou was coolness personified when struck his 86th-minute volley on Sunday evening to clinch a 3-3 draw with Spurs after Chelsea had trailed 3-1. It was his fifth goal in all competitions since signing for around £5m from Feyenoord in May but he has had to be patient, being used mainly as a substitute so far.

He said: "It is true that Thierry Henry is my hero. He finds the space and has great technique, it's a combination difficult to find in that kind of striker.

"I've been following him for a long time, since he was at Monaco. He's my type of player and with luck maybe I can reach that level. I'm never afraid to face the challenge because it makes me stronger. The more challenges I face, I can be a better player."

He shrugged off Shevchenko's injury problem, adding: "There are always injured players. We have a big squad and we have to face that."

He freely admits his frustration at being on the sidelines as understudy to Shevchenko and Drogba, saying: "Every player wants to be on the pitch to show how good he is. I am just waiting for my chance. It doesn't matter how many minutes I stay on the pitch, the most important thing is to bring something to the team every time I play."

He admits to have been homesick for Holland, where for his previous club Feyenoord he notched 35 goals in 65 games over two season - but was determined to stick it out.

"Yes, I missed Holland but I'm here in England, people have been really nice and I'm really happy to be here. Chelsea is a big family and we all work together. I found it difficult at first at such a big club as a young player. The most important thing is to learn and get better.

"I wanted to stay and not go out on loan so I could increase my confidence. I can fight with Drogba and Shevchenko for one position. If I can do that I can become a better player. I can learn from them as they are two of the best strikers in the world."

But it is Thierry Henry whom he hopes to emulate as the top striker in Europe, even if the Arsenal great man has had a lean time of it lately.

If he gets close and it looks like he will get his opportunites in the last lap of a season that still offers up to four trophies, then Chelsea will not fret too much, if Shevchenko is laid off for some time. The Blues will also get a huge lift from the return of captain and central defender John Terry.